Hurricane Charley Video And Photo Blog

Hurricane Charley, one of the most powerful hurricane's in recorded history. Hurricane Charley slammed into Punta Gorda Florida on Friday The 13th, August 2004.

This page is a documentation of my chase of Hurricane Charley and includes a lot of my Hurricane Charley Video Footage and Still Photography before and after the storm.

All of the Hurricane Charley video is now located in the Hurricane Charley stock video section on BNVN.com.

08/12/2004 - Morning: Departed Minneapolis, MN and just landed in Orlando Florida. Picked up my rental SUV and in route to Tampa for the night. The flight was pretty mellow except for the severe lack of leg room. The flight crew did say on the way down to Orlando that they were going to be taking a different route... Wonder Why?

Here Is A Photo From 37,000 feet of a cool looking weather boundry from the flight this morning

08/12/2004 - PM
Update - In Tampa Bay Florida, Major Evactuation Going On Here. Cell
Phone's Are Having A Tough Time Getting Through, Supplies In Stores
Are Low, And A Major Storm Is Coming This Way.

Click Here To See The Video I Shot For The Weather Channel This Afternoon On One Of The Bridges

You Need Windows Media 9 To View The Video

Here Is Something I Saw And Thougth It Was Kind Of Funny. This Little Guy Has No Idea What's Coming.

08/13/2004 Hurricane Charley Photograph Log. This is a collection of Hurricane Charley Stock Photography That I Was Able To Take While On The Chase.

After leaving the Tampa and St. Petersburg Florida area on the morning of Friday the 13th. I headed down towards Punta Gorda Florida. Special thanks go out to Evan Bookbinder, Andy Revering, and Blake Naftel for nowcasting and making sure I was still alive after the storm.

	Starting the day in St. Petersburg Florida, I was covering the last minute boarding up and evacuations
	Residents had some fun painting their houses...
	Another Image From St. Petersburg, Florida
	Another Image From St. Petersburg, Florida
	St. Petersburg Fire Department Ready For Action.
	After I took this photograph, I got bac on line and talked to Andy Revering and Evan Bookbinder who said I needed to get to the south FAST because it was going to turn inland near Punta Gorda.
	On The Road To Punta Gorda Florida, The Outer Bands Of Hurricane Charley
	On The Road To Punta Gorda Florida, The Outer Bands Of Hurricane Charley
	On my way down Interstate 75 I passed a H2 that was heading into the storm. This was about the time I got the call from Andy Revering telling me that Hurricane Charley jumped from a Cat 2, to a Cat 4 hurricane. I thought he was kidding but Blake Naftel called me and Evan Bookbinder sent me an instant message as well to confirm it.
	Convective bands of the storm were already doing damage in Port Charlote.
	I was expecting a tornado to drop out of this thing but it was moving so fast at 50 mph that even if there was a tornado, it would have been gone in the blink of an eye.
	Mark Rackley in Punta Gorda
	Mark Rackley and Jim Edds
	After the storm, some of the first images of Punta Gorda Florida after being destoryed by Charley.
	These images are of the Medical Office Building next to the hospital.
	A resident that rode out Hurricane Charley comes out of his house in shock.
	DHL may deliver right after a Cat 4, but I won't use them...
	Charlotte Regional Medical Center. This was where a wind speed of 150 Knots or 172 MPH was recorded. The Punta Gorda Airport had a wind gust of 160 MPH before the equipment broke.
	Charlotte Regional Medical Center.
	One of the many Marina's in town that was destroyed.
	Various damage, a stop sign blown into the road.
	Outside the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda.
	Outside the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda
	Outside the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda
	Outside the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda
	In the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda
	In the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda
	One of the Many Television Photographers we met up with after the storm.
	EMS coming back on line to help the people out and try to restore order.
	Clean up crews racing into town to help out.
	Max Doyle, son of the owner of the Celtic Ray Pub shows us the damage to his Apartment above the Pub where they lost their roof.
	A few from on top of the pub of the damage.
	A huge chunk of a roof ready to fall off
	Cars that took shelter in this bank drive through were trashed
	A 2 x 4 is shoved through the wind of this car.
	A look back to were we were at the Justace Center.
	A destoryed building in town.
	A destoryed building in town.
	A destoryed building in town.
	Notice The Gas Can In This Destroyed Building? Jim Edds And I Where Photographing This Scene When This SUV Pulls Up And The Guy Jumps Out And Says He Needs Gas.
	Looter!!! Here is the guy that pulled up and stoled the gas in the gas can.
	All the trees are destroyed. There just cut off like a big lawn mower came by and chopped up the town.
	The debris was everywhere.
	This mini van was filped over across the harbor in Port Charlotte.
	Roofing Nails Were Flying Through The Air. Deadly Debris In The Trees.
	More Debris Wedged Into A Palm Tree
	Another view of the debris.
	Another view of the van as the sun was setting.